Take My Hand, Because It's Time We Came Home
by chalantness
Summary: She's not letting everything else weighing on their shoulders diminish the fact that today they won and that's enough for right now. (Post 2x18 "Intervention")


**Title: **_Take My Hand, Because It's Time We Came Home__  
_**Rating:** PG-13  
**Word Count:** ~2,000  
**Characters:** Jaime/Cassie and the Team  
**Summary:** _Post 2x18 "Intervention"_ — She's not letting everything else weighing on their shoulders diminish the fact that today they _won_ and that's enough for right now.

**Take My Hand, Because It's Time We Came Home**

It's kind of nostalgic to be back, honestly, even though it still hurts to see Mount Justice as it is right now. It's literally just the remains of what it used to be, fragmented and charred from the explosion. It's probably a good thing she hadn't been there to see it go up in flames.

She would've cried.

She kind of is right now, but it's not like she _doesn't_ have a reason. They just got Jaime back and the whole Team's reunited again. Today has been one of their better days.

And she's not really sure what they're doing back here, exactly. She called her mom to let her know that she'd be home late because everyone was telling her not to go home right away and then she looked out the window as the Super-Cycle was descending and saw the outline of Mount Justice in the darkness, and her eyes instantly watered.

"Hey," Barbara says, wiping Cassie's tears with her thumb as they're stepping onto the sand. "You okay, Cassie?"

Cassie nods a little. "Yeah, just… Why are we here?"

"It was Bart's idea," she explains, smiling softly. "He thought it'd be good to come back after everything today. You know, for old time's sake?"

And Cassie nods because, yes, that makes a lot of sense, actually. She's had more than enough heartache these past few weeks to last her a lifetime, even though she tries not to think of it like that because she's sure there's bound to be more in the future. She's not being pessimistic; she's being realistic. Their lifestyle is far from the easiest, especially since they're choosing to put themselves between a rock and a hard and carry the burdens so other people don't have to. They all know this and they all accept that this is just how it is.

But still, recently it's just been _hard_, and not just because almost every other person you meet on the streets is convinced that the League is evil and it just _breaks_ Cassie's heart to hear them talk like that. Everything that's been happening them as just taken its toll, with half of the League going into deep space and Artemis's death and all of the fights and them being captured by the Reach multiple times and the Reach working Blue Beetle against them… It's just a lot, emotionally, and she'd be lying if she said she hadn't cried herself to sleep a few nights these last few months thinking about everything and having all of these voices in her head telling her that nothing's going to get better.

It's pathetic, she knows, but it's been really hard to remain positive lately.

But this moment right now… This is like their biggest breath of relief in a long time. Their worries are far, far from over, but today was a victory and the first time they've truly felt like a Team in a while, and she's not letting everything else weighing on their shoulders diminish the fact that today they _won_ and that's enough for right now.

And even as they're standing on the beach of Mount Justice, looking at what used to be _their Cave_, she's not feeling as sad as she would've a few days ago. She's staring at the scarred rock and she's remembering all of the good memories that came with that Cave. They're memories that she experienced herself, like debriefing with the girls and acting silly after long sparring sessions and petty bickering over what to watch on TV or who's turn it was to wash the dishes; and memories that aren't hers, like how the original Team was first assembled here, how they first met Artemis and Zatanna, how they confessed their deepest secrets and insecurities, and all of the other stories that the veterans love to tell.

It's hard not to cry, thinking about everything, and that must be true for Barbara, too, because suddenly she's sniffling a little and swiping her fingers over the corner of her eyes. She catches Barbara's eyes and Barbara laughs, muttering, "Don't say a thing."

Cassie laughs.

"Hey, guys!" Bart's voice exclaims, and then suddenly he's in their faces. "Help us collect wood for a bonfire?"

"Sure thing, runt," Barbara says, ruffling Bart's hair. He groans and pretends to swat her hands away and Cassie smiles because he's not zipping away like he can and that means he actually likes that she's messing with him.

Then suddenly a hand is on _her_ head, ruffling her hair, and she exclaims, "_Conner!_" and throws her arms around him. He's the only one who messes with her hair like that. Well, other than Clark and Papa Kent. Conner's chest rumbles with his chuckle and he drapes an arm around her, hugging her back. "What're you doing here? Where were you today?"

"Nightwing wanted to rendezvous with you guys," Conner says, nodding over at where Nightwing and Zatanna are laughing, trying to shove each other into the water. "And to answer your other question," he adds, "I was out." She arches an eyebrow. "I hung out with a friend."

"Oh?" He rolls his eyes, pulling away, and she laughs. "Good for you. Would I like her?"

"How did you know that…" He chuckles. "Yeah, you would."

"Good," she says.

"What, am I not allowed to see someone if you don't approve of them?" Cassie grins, nodding shamelessly. He shakes his head again. "You're impossible."

"You love it."

"Whatever," he mutters. He's grinning, though. "I'm going to move around some of the logs to sit on, okay?"

"I'll help you," she offers.

"You should stay here."

"Why?"

Conner grins, ruffles her hair and says, "Just because," before starting to walk away.

She's about to go after him, too, when someone says her name and she jumps a little because it's been a _long_ time since she's heard his voice—_his_ voice. She turns around and finds Jaime walking up to her, one hand tucked into the pocket of his jacket while using the other to mess with his hair like he tends to do.

She wants to hug him. She _really_ wants to hug him, and she has since they first got him back. She would've, too, if the timing hadn't been so unfortunate.

"Jaime," she breathes, because she's pretty sure if she let her voice get any louder, she'd shout. She's _so relieved_ to have him back. It didn't even hit her until now how much she's missed him. "Hi," she says.

"Hey," he says back. "Thank you for today."

"What?" she laughs. "Jaime, I didn't… I didn't even really _do_ anything."

"You did everything," he says, and like, she's not really sure what that's supposed to mean, but he said it so surely and so sweetly that she can't help but smile. "You did everything I needed. And all I did was… I was _so_ horrible to everyone and I _hurt_ you and—"

"Enough," she almost snaps, stepping so that she's nearly pressed against him. She feels tears in her eyes again as she's shaking her head. "I don't want you thinking like that."

"Cassie—"

"It wasn't _you_, or even the Scarab," she says. He blinks in surprise and then gets this _smile_ on his face, like he's so amazed that she just understands him, yet like he's not at all surprised at the same time. She doesn't really know how to describe it, but she gets the best feeling _ever_ from this smile. "And all that matters is that you're back."

"I'm back," he says.

She nods, feels a lump in her throat as the words echo in her head. It's the first time anyone's really said this.

She couldn't stop her tears if she tried, and honestly, she doesn't want to.

"Cassie," he whispers, smiling at her. She's not really sure why she's laughing right now, but she is, and she's tearing up, too. She must look ridiculous, but Jaime's still staring at her like he just can't help himself. "I'm back," he says again. He pulls her against his chest, wraps his arms around her in a hug as he repeats, "I'm back."

She's _crying_ now. She's just shaking in his arms and crying, and he's rubbing his hand up her back soothingly, and it just feels so _relieving_.

She can't remember the last time she cried so hard because she was _happy_ about something.

"I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too, Cassie," Jaime says, squeezing just a little tighter. She grips his jacket. "It was… I was so…"

She shushes him gently, pulling away a little bit to meet his eyes. "You don't have to be that anymore, Jaime," she reminds. He nods, more to himself. "Welcome back, Blue."

"Can you say my name again?"

"Jaime," she says. He smiles. "Welcome back, Jaime."

"It's good to be back," he exhales, then leans over and presses a kiss to her cheek. She feels herself blush and bites her lower lip, hard. His cheeks are a little red, too, as he pulls back, and he rubs the heel of his hand against his neck nervously, smiling almost as giddily as she feels. "Sorry, I just—"

She kisses his lips quickly, grasps the front of his jacket between her fingers and kisses him again, slower and gentler this time, before he can really react to the first kiss. He starts to kiss her back, but then there's an eruption of cheer nearby and they pull away, blushing and laughing as they look to where their friends are watching them from the bonfire.

"It's about time,_ hermano!_" Bart exclaims, suddenly standing beside Jaime and elbowing his arm. Jaime chuckles and shakes his head. "Wasn't I right, Robin? Tell him I was right."

"Shut up," Jaime laughs, shoving Bart away.

"Get over here, you two!" Karen exclaims, waving at them. "We're making s'mores!"

Cassie arches an eyebrow and Bart shrugs. "Stashed some stuff on the ship," he explains. "I thought we'd need it someday."

She laughs as they make their way over, and she and Jaime sit down beside Karen and Mal while Bart plops himself between Gar and Tim. Someone hands them each a skewer and a bag of marshmallows, and Jaime grabs a handful and slides half of them onto hers and the rest onto his.

"I feel like we should be toasting right now, if we had drinks," Tim admits with a laugh.

"We can toast anyway," Gar says, flashing a grin up at M'gann, who smiles and ruffles his hair. He inches his skewer a little closer to the flames. "To my mom," he declares, and M'gann squeezes her hand on his shoulder. "She would've loved every one of you guys."

"They would've loved her, too, Gar," M'gann says. Gar rests his head against her arm.

"To the League," Barbara adds. "Wherever they may be, and whatever they're doing, I hope they're safe."

"And that they'll come home, safe and sound," Tim adds.

Dick smiles, reaches over to place a hand on Tim's shoulder as they continue. Raquel makes a toast to Roy and his family, because they deserve happiness; Mal to Arsenal, that he'll find peace someday; Karen to Tula and Garth, who are still in their thoughts; Bart to Wally, whom they all miss seeing; M'gann to Artemis, because she lives on in their hearts; Dick to the Kaldur they knew and loved; Zatanna to her father, that someday he may be free; Conner to the kids that helped rescue them, that they're there for each other like the Team is.

"To Jaime," Cassie says, smiling at him, "because we've missed you so much."

Jaime exhales a laugh, rubs a hand through his hair as everyone turns to look at him. "The Scarab and I toast to you guys," he announces, and he threads his fingers with Cassie's and squeezes slightly as he adds, "because this Team is the best family we could've asked for."


End file.
